These Things Happen
by XellAn-Chan
Summary: formerly titled "The Storm," but no one read it! *pout* it's all L&G please R&R ^_^ (rated PG13 for implied sex)
1. The Storm

The Storm  
  
By XellAn-Chan  
  
(disclaimer: unfortunatly, i don't own either Slayers or the song "The Storm" by Country Superstar Garth Brooks)  
  
**********  
  
She sits among the pieces of broken glass and photographs  
  
reluctantly releases the last of what was her past  
  
The young teenager stood up, shards of glass falling from her lap as she arose. This is my family, she told herself, this is my family I'm giving up. The torn up pictures of her sister littered the gound. She stared at them for a moment. When had Luna become so vicious, so hateful?  
  
It struck without warning or did she just ignore the signs  
  
In those dark clouds froming behind her silver lines  
  
No, She told herself finally, Luna had always been like that. She'd always tormented me. When I was younger, I just never noticed, I was to ignorant. Well, it's her fault. I'm leaving, all because of everything she does. Her thoughts flashed back to the evening before.  
  
The door it slammed like thunder and the tears they fell like rain  
  
And the warning of her family whirl like a hurricane  
  
Luna had made her angry for the last time, no matter what her parents said. Going off on her own, it wouldn't be that bad. She could handle it, she could make it on her own. She could...taers clouded her eyes. She wanted out of there, away from the spite of her big sister...or did she?  
  
She's drowning in emotions and she cannot reach the shore  
  
She's alive but can she survive the storm  
  
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she gathered the things she'd need on the road. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if she really could face the world alone. More tears filled her eyes as she stepped out of her room. She was so confused.  
  
A broken jewel box dancer lies in pieces down the hall  
  
She picked her way around the remains of Luna's handywork. That had been her favorite childhood possesion, totally destroyed by the person who should've been her best friend.  
  
She's finding out the answers don't change nothing at all  
  
It's time that she stopped searching for who's to blame or what went wrong  
  
Maybe, she thought, it wasn't just Luna...I'm stuborn, I don't know when to give up. Sometimes I don't think before I speak. It may be me too. I can't just say it was her and leave it at that.  
  
And the door it slammed like thunder and the tears they fell like rain  
  
And the warnings of her family whirl like a hurricane  
  
She's drowning in emotions and she cannot reach the shore  
  
She's alive but can she survive the storm  
  
Thoughts crowded her mind as she banged shut the door onher family and tears clouded her eyes as she ran down the steps of the porch. All the things they told her swirled through her mind. The anger, the sadness, the pain, the jealousy, the hurt...they were bearing down on her. She felt like she was suffocating.  
  
Someday days just roll on by without a gray cloud in the sky  
  
She keeps telling herself "I will make it on my own"  
  
I can do this...I can do this...the thought rushed through her mind everyday as she wandered the world trying to find a reason to go on, looking for a purpose. ...I can do this...after all...I'm Lina Inverse...  
  
She's alive but can she survive the storm...  
  
**********  
  
Author's Note: i love this song. i wanted to use it. for some reason, Lina popped into my head...i decided to explore what could have been going through her mind when she decided to leave home. and i did leave out the parts that didn't fit, just like when i did "The One." trying to make parts that don't fit fit is just plain stupid, so don't harass me about it not being the whole song ^_^ 


	2. It Needs No Explaination

It Needs No Explaination  
  
by XellAn-Chan  
  
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Author's note: people ask for chapters, so i'm doing a few more Garth songs for this particular fic...i'll make a saga out of it. And, yeah, i don't own Garth's songs or the Slayers...yadda yadda yadda...  
  
*****************  
  
~She's sun and rain, she's fire and ice   
A little crazy but it's nice~   
  
How could he have misjudged her so, thinking she was just a helpless child? Sure, he'd "rescued" her, but she would've been fine alone. He knew that. He wasn't expecting to find the world's most powerful sorceress, only a scared kid. So he told her as much. And she was angry. Very angry.  
  
~And when she gets mad, you best leave her alone   
'Cause she'll rage just like a river~   
  
She continued to get angry through all their travels. His airheaded personality annoyed her to no end and she was quite vocal about these feelings. Yet there was no getting rid of him, he was like a shadow. He'd sworn to protect her, even give his life for her. He could be very sweet. Then she'd feel bad about hitting him.   
  
~Then she'll beg you to forgive her   
She's every woman that I've ever known~   
  
He followed along faithfully, unsure what exactly made him trail her. Her life became his own, her battles and victories where also his. He came to enjoy being with her, despite her constant threats, bashings and accusations of stupidity. When he was with her, he felt invincible. He never wanted to leave her.  
  
~She's every place that I've never been   
She's makin love on rainy nights   
And she's everything I want to do again~  
  
She didn't understand why he followed him and said so many time throughout the course of their travels. To him, it was so simple. He was her protector. He'd always be with her. He'd come to love her.  
  
~It needs no explanation   
'Cause it all makes perfect sense   
For when it comes down to temptation   
She's on both sides of the fence~   
  
When she demanded an explanation for the millionth time, he told her as much. He did not know why she couldn't understand it. It wasn't that difficult of a feeling, love. It was either there or it wasn't. He wasn't sure how to tell her though. He thought maybe she'd just understand.  
  
~No it needs no explanation   
'Cause it all makes perfect sense   
When it comes down to temptation   
She's on both sides of the fence~   
  
So he cautiously approached her one night as she sat beside the campfire. "I...I want to tell you something, Lina." He stammered. She looked at him, her face illuminated by firelight. "What is it, Gourry?" He sat down beside her. "Well...You're so special...Everything you are, it's different..."  
  
~She's anything but typical~  
  
Was he making any sense? Oh, well. Too late. It didn't matter now, what was started needed to be finished. "...I like all the things that make you...well, you. And," He went on hesitantly, "...and I love you, Lina." He paused, expecting a fireball.  
  
~She's so unpredictable~  
  
There was silence. For a long time. Then she burst into tears. "Lina, what's wrong?" He hadn't expected that. He'd never seen her cry for no reason. "I...I was af-afraid you'd say that..." She sobbed. He would've preferred the fireball. He didn't know what to do.  
  
~Oh but even at her worst it ain't that bad~  
  
So he did the only thing he could think of: he took her in his arms, as he had longed to do for so long. Her petite body shook with every sob. "...D-don't...I'm afraid..." And he held her close, unsure of what frightened her so, but quite certain of the fact that she felt the way he always dreamed she would.  
  
~She's as real as real can be   
And she's every fantasy~  
  
This, however, was no dream. She was in his arms, crying into his chest. "I love you." He said it with more certainty that time. She looked up at him through tear-filled eyes. "...I was afraid...because I didn't know how to say it back...But I do love you." He smiled. "Ah, I knew that already." And he kissed her, feeling both relieved and ecstatic at the same time. She smiled shyly. And they sat there together; he thinking how lucky he was, she with her head upon his heart.  
  
~Lord she's every lover that I've ever had   
And she's every lover that I've never had~   
  
And they both knew they'd never be apart. 


	3. To Make You Feel My Love

To Make You Feel My Love   
  
By XellAn-Chan   
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AN: You know the words, sing along! *Pink Floyd type music plays* "I don't own the ri-ights to Slayers ooorrr Garth Brooks..." *singing off-key* "...Sooo ple-ease don't suuuueee meeee!"  
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"Lina! Lina, don't do that! You're gonna get hurt! LINA! Listen to me!!!"   
  
"Shut up, Gourry! SHUT UP!! I can do this...they can't beat me! I never lose to scum like that!"   
  
"Lina, this guy is different. He's gonna hurt you."   
  
"No, no. He won't. He-"   
  
"NIGHTMARE BLAZE!!!!"   
  
The blond swordsman watched in horror as his beloved Lina crashed to the ground, her petit body tossed aside by the spell as if it were nothing. The sorcerer she had tried to tangle with was far more powerful than either of them could have imagined. And now, Lina lay on the ground, blood pooling around her, and Gourry wasn't sure if she was dead or not.   
  
"Heh heh heh!!!" The maniacal wizard cackled "At last some one has killed the 'great' Lina Inverse!! And it was I, Hellebore Mourir. My work here is done!"   
  
"...No! No!! NO!!!!!!" Gourry whipped his sword from its hilt. The sorcerer wasn't expecting a physical attack. "Your work here may be done," The swordsman choked out as he blindly ran the steel blade through Hellebore's heart, "But I'm sure there's plenty for you to do in hell!"   
  
As the dead man fell to the ground, Gourry raced to Lina's side. "Lina?" His voice came out in a raspy whisper. She opened one ruby-red eye. "Gourry...Gourry, don't let me die...I don't want to die..." She pleaded, "...Take me...take me to Zelgadiss...Hurry, Gourry..."   
  
He scooped her up into his arms. She was so light it was as if she wasn't even there. He held her close as he ran down the road in the direction of Saillune, rain pelting down around them and mixing with the blood trickling down her face.   
  
~When the rain is blowing in your face   
And the whole world is on your case   
I could offer you a warm embrace   
To make you feel my love~   
  
Amelia and Zelgadiss came running into the hall when Gourry showed up at the door, Lina half dead in his arms.   
  
The princess choked back a sob as she took in the scene. "Is she...is she...dead...?" She whispered.   
  
Zelgadiss wasted no time. He ushered Gourry out of the hall and up to his and Amelia's own room. "Put her on the bed. She's still alive, isn't she?"   
  
"Uh-huh." The blond seemed to be in a daze.   
  
"Good. Then I can help. Amelia, you help too. She's pretty bad." The former chimera said briskly.   
  
The princess nodded meekly. "O...okay...If you think I can..." I  
  
t took longer than it normally would to heal her. Lina was closer to death than any of them could ever have known. But they managed to save her.   
  
Gourry watched the healing process. A faint pink glow illuminated her pretty face, causing her to look like a sleeping angel. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from the world.   
  
"...Gourry...Am I alive?" Her eyes snapped open and he sighed in relief. "Thank L-Sama you didn't die." He smiled happily. Her wide eyes filled with tears and she threw herself into his arms.   
  
He held her there long into the night. She held nothing back, let her tears fall freely. "I love you...I thought I was going to be taken away from you..."   
  
He kissed her hair. "I would go to hell and back for you. You know that. Nothing can take me away from you. I'll keep you with me forever, Lina, if you'll marry me..."   
  
~When evening shadows and the stars appear  
And there is no one to dry your tears   
I could hold you for a million years  
To make you fell my love~   
  
"We...we've talked about this before. It's not that I don't love you, it's just that I'm not ready for it yet, marriage and all. I don't want to settle down. I want to keep traveling."   
  
"Who says we can't? We've been together for five years now, I feel like we are married. I won't make you stop. I couldn't make you if I wanted to. And besides, then you wouldn't be you. You'd be some one else and I wouldn't love you."   
  
"I don't know..."   
  
"We belong together. We're meant to be together. You know it too. You've know it for a long time."   
  
"I'm not sure."   
  
"Think about it at least?"   
  
"All right. I'll think about it."   
  
~I know you haven't made your mind up yet  
And I would never do you wrong   
I've known it from the moment that we met   
There's not doubt in my mind where you belong~  
  
"Zel! Amelia! She said yes!" Gourry thundered down the palace stairs and into the parlour where Zelgadiss and Amelia were having tea. "We're gonna get married!"   
  
Lina appeared in the doorway soon after, a shy smile on her face. She held up her hand, displaying the small gold band on her finger.   
  
"Oh, Miss Lina! That's wonderful!" Amelia jumped up and tossed her arms around her friend. "We have so much to plan!"   
  
"Yes," Zelgadiss agreed, "Congratulations." He brushed his dark hair out of his eyes and looked at his wife, "Amelia, don't get too carried away. This isn't your wedding, you know."   
  
Lina smiled. Nothing about her friends had changed. Only she was different, for she realized what they had known all along. Gourry was so hopelessly devoted to her, he'd do anything for her.   
  
~I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue   
I'd go crawling down the avenue   
There ain't nothing that I wouldn't do   
To make you feel my love~  
  
"...You may kiss the bride!" The priest, none other than Xellos, had performed the wedding ceremony flawlessly, at the threat of a Giga Slave on Lina's behalf if he didn't behave.   
  
Gourry took Lina in his arms, raised her veil and let his heart control his mind.   
  
The feast Amelia had prepared in their honor was outstanding and the party that followed was so lavish Lina could only marvel at how much money the princess had spent on her.   
  
The party went on for hours before the bride and groom managed to slip away. Gourry carried Lina up to their official room in the palace, informing her of all the things he would do when he had her alone, she giggling all the while.   
She felt giddy with excitement as he laid her on the bed and began peeling off the layers of clothing which her wedding gown consisted of.   
  
"I promise you, Lina, I'll make you so happy...You won't ever wish we didn't do this..." He insisted as they kissed. "And I'll love you forever..."   
  
She sighed with pleasure as they became one. The way she felt then made her think nothing he did could ever be wrong.   
  
~The storms are raging on a rolling sea   
And on the highway of regret   
The winds of change are blowing wild and free   
You ain't seen nothin' like me yet~  
  
"...C'mon, c'mon, you can do it...C'mon Lina..."   
  
"I can't! I can't; it's too much!"   
  
"When have you ever given up before? You're not a quitter. Come on, where's the never-say-die Lina that I love?"   
  
"I can't do this!"   
  
"You can! Just a little bit more..."   
  
A tiny cry filled the room. Lina collapsed on the bed triumphantly, tears of joy running down her face. "...I did it." Gourry kissed her. "Told you you could."   
  
"You have a boy. Congratulations." The midwife laid the baby across Lina's chest.   
  
Together, they examined the life they had created. He was a tiny thing, with a fringe of reddish hair and brilliant blue eyes. He snuggled up to Lina's bare breast and yawned. She looked up at her husband. "I love you. I always have. You make my every wish come true."   
  
He smiled innocently. "I swore I'd always take care of you..."   
  
~There ain't nothin' that I wouldn't do   
Go to the ends of the earth for you   
Make you happy make your dreams come true   
To make you feel my love~ 


End file.
